Menu

Piece of Cake

Post navigation

Crustless quiche and Breakfast quiche both have a special place in my kitchen line up, but I make versions of this frittata all the time, and as I made it yesterday, I thought I should share it here.

It’s as simple as can be, and you can add whatever you have on hand. I never go out and buy anything special for this, except eggs of course!

Here’s what you’ll need to serve 4-6 people:

6 eggs

1/2 cup cream or milk

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes

2 T oil

1/2 cup chopped bell peppers (any color, although I prefer green)

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 green chilli, finely chopped

1/2-1 cup shredded cheese

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, cream/milk and seasoning.

In a large oven proof frying pan heat the oil and sauce the peppers, mushrooms, onions and green chilli for a few minutes, until they’re cooked charred around the edges. Spread them out evenly around the pan and pour over the egg mixture, making sure to spread it out evenly.

Cook on a medium heat, loosening the edges with a spatula so the edges don’t stick.

Once the egg is almost cooked through sprinkle over the cheese, adding as much as you like, and place the frying pan under the broiler in your oven till the frittata is bubbling and fluffy and the cheese is melted.

Enjoy with some toasted bread or english muffins! This is great to make for a large group of people and should be featured on your next brunch/breakfast table!

You can add any vegetables you like, and add any type of meat as well. Customise away!

I’ve shared a number of potato recipes but I tried this on thanksgiving, and i’m sold. The simplicity makes it all the more amazing, and this is going to be a regular at my table!

Here’s what you need:

4 russet potatoes, peeled

4 sweet potatoes, peeled

3/4 cup butter, room temp

3 T oil

salt and pepper so taste

fresh basil leaves (or any fresh herb)

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes and toss them in the oil, salt and pepper. Pour them into a large oven proof dish. Cut the butter into small cubes and spread them around the potatoes. Sprinkle over some fresh herbs(I used basil but you can use parsley, dill or any other herb you have). Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping the potatoes after 15, then lower the oven temp to 350F and bake them for another 20 minutes. If you want to add some extra color to the potatoes broil them for about 3-5 minutes. Serve as a side with some extra fresh herbs on top.

*For some extra flavour add whole garlic cloves in with the potatoes. Once they’re baked you can mash them into some butter and make a delicious garlic butter, or use them to make garlic bread.

The hardest thing for me when cooking for a group of people is choosing which dessert to make. So many options, so little time, and realistically, I can’t make a full on wedding dessert table every time someone comes over. So this year, for Thanksgiving, I settled on this little number, which I have never made before, but I can say without any doubt that everyone loved it and it’ll be a regular on my table from now on.

For the cheesecake part I used my light as a feather cheesecake recipe, just changing the crust a little, which i’ll explain below, and for your convenience i’ll also list the ingredients I used down here. For the full instructions click on the link!

Mix the crust ingredients and press them into a greased cheesecake pan.

Whisk the cream cheese and sugar till smooth, then add the rest of the ingredients, mixing till everything is combined. Pour into the crust and bake as directed in the cheesecake recipe.

(I lined the bottom of the pan with foil for easy cleanup)

Once the cheesecake has completely cooled down start preparing the banana pudding.

In a bowl whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Once everything is combined add the chilled heavy whipping cream. Continue to whisk the mix until soft peaks form. Make sure to scrape the bowl down with a spatula in between to make sure everything is mixed well.

Layer the banana slices onto the cheesecake evenly. Then layer on the Nilla wafers.

Once the base of banana slices and Nilla wafers is even, spread the pudding mix on top, spreading to even it out. Smooth out the sides, cover and chill overnight.

I’ve posted a couple versions of this recipe over the years, and here I am typing up another version that I seem to be baking very often this fall/winter.

It’s a classic. You can’t go wrong. And the beauty of this dessert is that it’s very forgiving. Don’t have enough milk? Splash in some cream or half and half. Out of sugar? Add sweetened condensed milk. Don’t have enough o one type of bread? Mix them all! I also make just enough for me sometimes, but it’s a great dessert to make in bulk, and it’s always very well loved by all!

I’ve come to the conclusion that recipes are best suited to everyone if they’re based on simple ratios. So for for every egg I use in this recipe, I add 1 cup of milk and 1/3 cup sugar. From this you can make one generous serving, or multiply it by 20 and you’re set for the the holiday get togethers.

Here’s what you’ll need for a medium sized dish

4 large croissants (or any bread in an equal amount)

3 eggs

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

3 cups milk

Grease a medium over proof dish. Preheat your oven to 375F.

Break up your bread* or croissants into small pieces and place them in the baking dish. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar and milk until well combined.

Pour the mix over the croissants and press the bread into the liquid and let it sit at room temperature until all the liquid is absorbed.

Then bake the pudding at 375F for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the pudding is set.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It stays great in the fridge for up to 2 days.

*If you’re using bread, follow the instruction but add one extra step. Cut 3 T butter into small cubes and spread into the bread before adding the egg mixture. Then use some extra to dollop on top as well before baking.

I’ve made many versions of lasagna; Taco Lasagna and Nacho Lasagna to be precise, but sometimes I crave something a little more classic, with a beef ragu and a creamy ricotta filling. A crust of cheese with sauce bubbling around the edges. So that’s exactly what I made last night. It’s simple like any lasagne, just a little assembly required and little cooking here and there.

Here’s what you’ll need for a 13×9 in lasagne dish

Beef Ragu:

1 pound ground beef

3 T oil

1 bell pepper, finely chopped

1 T crushed garlic

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 t chilli flakes

2 cups marinara sauce of your choice

Ricotta Mix:

1 15 oz jar ricotta

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

2 T fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 t dried parsley)

1/2 t chilli flakes

For layering:

1 box lasagne sheets(I use the ready to bake ones)

1 jar marinara sauce

3-4 cups shredded mozzarella

For the Beef Ragu start off by sautéing the beef, bell peppers and crushed garlic in the oil. Once the beef looks cooked, add salt, black pepper, chilli flakes and marinara. Mix well and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Make sure to mix and check on it a few times to make sure it’s not burning or drying out! (Or use an instant pot!)

While the Ragu is simmering away mix all the ingredients for the ricotta mix in a small bowl.

Once the Ragu is cooked, it’s time to assemble the Lasagne. Start off by putting some Ragu and marinara on the bottom of your baking dish. (I like mixing some plain marinara into the Ragu to cut the concentrated flavour, but you can skip the plain marinara in the Ragu layer if you like) Then a layer of lasagne sheets. Then another layer of Ragu and marinara, then some mozzarella.

In the second layer spread out the lasagne sheets, then a thin layer of plain marinara sauce. Dollop half of the ricotta mix and spread it out evenly. If you like extra cheese you can add some mozzarella to this layer too. Then repeat the Ragu layer as before, and then the last ricotta layer. After all the layers are complete I like adding a slightly thicker layer of mozzarella on top so once it bakes it becomes a nice golden brown.

I added some fresh bell pepper on top as well.

Once you’re done layering you can bake the lasagne right away at 375F or refrigerate it for up to one day before you bake it. You can also freeze the lasagne, and bake it when needed. Baking times can vary according to your oven. It’s done when the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling, which can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes.